


The Makings of Perfection

by Writers_Muse



Series: One-Shots (And Two-Shots) ^_^ [19]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Adrinette, Biracial, Domestic Fluff, Established Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Established Relationship, Ethnic Identity, F/M, Fluff, Multiple Ethnicities, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sexy Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 09:13:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21176972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writers_Muse/pseuds/Writers_Muse
Summary: Marinette is struggling with consolidating her mixed identity, and Adrien is there to support her through it.





	The Makings of Perfection

**Author's Note:**

> So, in case anybody takes offense to portraying Marinette as confused about her mixed race/ethnicity, I'm writing this based off of my own experience. I'm not French Chinese, but I am biracial/multiethnic, and there are many ways that I struggle with not neatly fitting into any of my ethnicities. Not everyone feels that way, and that's ok, but basically everything Marinette says about her feelings comes from something I have felt myself. Hope this reaches anybody who might be in a similar situation.
> 
> That said, be prepared for insecurity, themes of ethnic identity, and fluffiness.
> 
> Mature because of implied post-coital.

“So, you wanna talk about it?”

Adrien nuzzled into Marinette’s neck, her bare back flush up against him as they lie tangled up in his bed. The sheets were soft--Egyptian cotton, probably of an obscenely high and economically wasteful thread count--and an analog clock (because despite being a very technologically-oriented man, Adrien still loved the comforting feeling of tradition, even the smell of old books) ticked loudly in the quiet of the apartment. No doubt, in one of his drawers (probably the one for scarves, since it was such a comfortable place to rest), Tikki and Plagg were taking a much-needed nap. No doubt, the two kwamis were wrapped up together not so unlike the adults in the room, having been separated for nearly a month.

Marinette exhaled an amused scoff, replete with the sound of a growing smile, and shifted a little bit to snuggle deeper into her human furnace. Her eyes remain closed, even as Adrien’s nose brushed lightly up the outer rim of her ear.

“About what?”

There was a rush of cool air that coincided with the sudden absence of Adrien’s face in the crook of her shoulder. She didn’t have to turn around to know that he had pulled away and was looking at her.

“That’s what I want to know.”

With a slightly less amused huff, she readjusted her position, a bit more restlessly this time, but stubbornly refused to look his way.

“Well, let me know when you figure it out.”

“Marinette.”

The warmth of his hand on her arms preceded a change in her position. She didn’t resist as he pulled her onto her back, but patiently opened her eyes and found his slightly furrowed brow directed her way.

Marinette didn’t say anything, just waited for the brief speech she knew was coming. Right on cue, Adrien inhaled in preparation.

“You haven’t said much since you got back. From what I can tell, you spent all of an hour or two with your parents since you arrived at the airport, and almost the second you walked through the door of this apartment, you jumped me.” Her forehead crinkled as both her eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “Not that I’m complaining,” he amended, and she suppressed a smirk, “but I know you, buginette, and I know when something’s bothering you. Now, we can go another round and put off this conversation all night, or you can tell me what’s wrong _ right now _ so we can figure it out together.” A beat. “And then we can go again.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully, and she couldn’t help but giggle at his silliness.

She turned her body the rest of the way until it was facing him, front to front, and wrapped her arms around his middle, pulling him close. Her forehead ended up pressed against his chest, his chin notched over the crown of her head, as she slung one leg over his hip, his own coming to rest between hers. It was comfortable, automatic, and it made it easier for her to spit out what had been nagging at her conscious for several days.

Marinette took a breath then, inhaling the calming warmth of his scent. It was the smell of anise, cardamom, patchouli, and a hint of mandarin orange, but it was more than that. There was also the fragrance of his shampoo and body soap, mixed in with the unique scent of his skin. Holding it in for just a second, she released it with a sigh.

“It’s stupid,” she said at last.

There was a low grunt somewhere in the vicinity of Adrien’s throat.

“If it’s bothering you, it’s not stupid.”

She stayed quiet, struggling with her own insecurities.

“Did something happen in China?” Adrien ventured quietly.

The girl in his arms shifted onto her back, a frustrated stare directed at the ceiling.

“No,” she answered at last with a frustrated grunt. “Nothing _ happened_, per say.” He waited, quiet and patient, propping himself up on his elbow and resting his cheek in the palm of his hand. She continued to search the blank ceiling for words, eyes darting about aimlessly. “I just… I felt out of place.” She sighed then, a resigned, confused sigh, full of doubt and unsure feelings. “It’s like…” Her tongue briefly darted out, wetting her lips. “I know I’m Chinese, or at least my maman is, so I am, too, but I’m also _ not._” A short pause followed, then, “I’m in this… weird in between, and I guess I never really realized it until we got there. My maman at least speaks Mandarin, and she was raised up in all of the culture, so she fit in completely seamlessly. But me. I didn’t understand _ anything _ over there. I guess there were a few shallow customs that felt familiar, but for the most part, I didn’t even know how to behave in some circumstances, much less communicate for myself. My maman had to interpret for everything.” She took another breath, releasing it slowly. “I know it sounds really shallow to say speaking or not speaking Chinese, or not knowing certain customs about my culture means I’m not part of it, but… I mean, it kind of _ does_, doesn’t it? Being over there… it felt a little like I was an outsider. I’ve always thought of myself as French _ and _ Chinese, but I’m not really. I’m both, and I’m neither. I’m something in the middle, or outside, or I don’t know. It just. I never thought I would feel that disconnected from something that’s supposed to be such a big part of me.” 

At the end, she shrugged, not knowing what else to say, not really feeling like words were enough for what she was feeling. Her whole body turned and curled around Adrien’s once again, and she shut her eyes against his warm, golden skin. She felt a soft kiss press against her midnight hair.

“You realize I love you exactly the way you are, right?” His deep voice almost rumbled above her head, and she tilted back to find his emerald eyes fixed on her. “I won’t diminish what you’re feeling by saying that it’s unfounded or silly because it’s neither. Your feelings are valid simply because you have them. I don’t think I can understand what it’s like to feel torn between two cultures, two halves of my identity, but I want you to know, that you don’t have to fit into a certain qualification of _ anything_. Marinette is Marinette, and rather than feel like you have to neatly fit into one or the other, or even both at the same time, I think you should embrace the fact that you’re different. You’re your own person, something unique and entirely Marinette, and that person can pick whatever combination of traits or customs or styles she wants to follow, because no matter what, it’s all going to add up to the most amazing person I’ve ever known. It doesn’t invalidate any part of you. And I wouldn’t change you for anything.”

Marinette clung tighter, the sensation of his toned chest against hers soothing. She could feel the subtle dips between the muscles of his abdomen, the curve of his biceps and his hips, the soft tickle of hair that started just below his belly button against her skin. Dipping her head back, she smiled widely and leaned upward as much as she could to kiss his chin. The stubble on his jaw suggested he hadn’t shaved that morning, but she didn’t mind. Groomed Adrien was gorgeous, but Adrien with the beginnings of growth on his face and tousled hair was the epitome of sex. She wanted to run her fingers through his untamed locks, so she reached up a hand and tangled her fingers into the golden tresses. His eyes narrowed, a growl beginning in the recesses of his throat, making her shiver. Almost reactively, her fingers in his hair tightened into a grip, and she pulled his head down until their lips were pressing so firmly against each other, it was almost painful. Not that either of them minded. A little pain could be pleasurable, too.

His tongue was warm, his hands wandering, when he grabbed roughly by her hips and pivoted to hover over her. He pulled back in the process, leveling a sinful smirk her way before leaning in a bit closer. She leaned upward impatiently to bring their lips back together, only for him to resist, smiling mischievously as he did. She tried again, only for him to evade her kiss, still with that playful smirk over his face. Frustrated, she let her head fall back on the pillows and gave him a half-hearted glare.

“You know what I think?” Adrien said, slowly leaning closer, but just barely ghosting his lips over hers. Marinette refused to take the bait, but wrapped her arms loosely around his neck anyway.

“I have it on good authority that you hardly ever think.”

His chuckle was deep and low, and it rumbled against her chest.

“I _ think_,” he continued despite her remark, “that your French Chinese genes would mix really well with mine. We could have some cute little quarter-Chinese rugrats running around one of these days.”

“Cha_ton _,” she practically whined, her voice unsteady. “You know we’re not ready for that yet. We’re not even living together. Or engaged. Your father would probably have an actual heart attack.”

The laughter in his chest vibrated against her body.

“Well, yea, maybe not _ now_. But, someday.”

Marinette rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the spread of a smile over her mouth. Adrien finally closed the rest of the distance between them, much to her satisfaction. She mewled in delight, moving her lips against his. But it wasn’t more than a minute before he pulled away again. She huffed, narrowing her eyes in irritation.

“Adrien, I don’t know if you understand _ how long it’s been _ and _ how bad I missed you _ while I was gone-”

“What if we were?” the blond man interrupted.

Her bluebell eyes betrayed her confusion as she was visibly taken aback.

“What?”

He leaned forward, briefly pressing a chaste kiss to her mouth.

“What if we were living together? _ And _ engaged? Or better yet- married? What do you think about eloping?”

There was a wild excitement in his eyes that sent her mind spinning.

How many things did he just mention?

“Uh, Adrien, that’s… a _ lot _ of ifs. I don’t know if-”

“Shh,” he cut her off with another kiss. It was short, but he only retreated long enough to say in a sentence broken by brief kisses, “You don’t,” _ kiss_, “have to,” _ kiss_, “answer,” _ kiss_, “me now,” _ kiss_, “just,” _ kiss_, “promise me,” _ kiss_, “you’ll think,” _ kiss_, “about it.”

The next kiss was long and deep, and it set a fire low in her body. With a force of will, she lightly pushed him away.

“Adrien.”

He looked down at her with dazed eyes--so dark and green and burning it made her thoughts clouded.

“What is it?”

She shook her head, attempting to clear the haziness from her mind.

“It’s just… yes. I think. I mean-” Marinette exhaled roughly, exasperated by her own inarticulate utterances. Adrien pulled further back until the warmth of his body was no longer overwhelming her, and she sighed, mildly relieved by the mercy. “We could… start out simple? Maybe moving in together?”

The grin that spread over his face was heart-stopping.

“All right, bugaboo.” He leaned down and placed kisses up her shoulder and neck until he reached her chin. “I guess our kids can wait.”

She chuckled affectionately as he nuzzled the underside of her jaw, peppering featherlight kisses over her skin.

“Well,” she amended. He pulled back and stared with a surprised expression. Marinette gave him a wicked smile. “There’s no reason why we can’t _ practice making _ them.”

Adrien’s pupils dilated, and he practically dove back in, growling playfully and making her giggle.

With a purr in his voice, he said, “Well, practice does make _ purr_-fect.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope that was at the very least entertaining/enjoyable.
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment and/or kudos if you liked it! (or even to tell me why you didn't, though I reserve the right to defend my choices)
> 
> <3 Muse


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